Camping and Potion Ingredients
by tinylexie
Summary: Lucius takes Draco on a camping trip to find some Potion ingredients.


**Author's Note: This story takes place before Draco starts at Hogwarts.**

* * *

Draco's fondest childhood memories included all the times that he would go camping with his parents in various different forests in order to find Potion ingredients.

Their tent, of course, did not lack any of the luxuries that Draco was used to having at Malfoy Manor. His bed was almost as big as his bed back at the manor, and it was just as comfortable. And when he was in the tent, he could walk around barefooted without fear of getting dirty, as his parents had made sure to cover the entire ground with expensive rugs that Draco just loved rubbing his feet into.

But even more than the luxurious tent that felt more like a second home than a tent, Draco loved helping his father to find and gather different items that could be used in various different types of Potions.

* * *

Draco felt like a big man when his father allowed him to carry the empty jaws that would soon be filled with insects. Narcissa had decided to stay in their tent so that she could read a book that she had bought with her in peace and quiet. Besides, Lucius had thought that his wife deserved a little break from their energetic son, especially since she was almost always at home with him while Lucius was out and about with his various side-businesses.

"Cockroaches are especially popular in many Potions," Lucius explained to his young son.

Draco beamed as his empty jars quickly became filled with the dead cockroaches that his father found.

"That's not too much for you to carry, is it?" Lucius asked.

"No, Daddy, it's not," Draco grinned.

Draco, though, was careful as he continued to follow his father. Draco knew that his father could easily fix the jars and re-gather the cockroaches with his wand if the jars were accidentally dropped, but the young boy wanted to prove that he was both big enough and responsible enough to carry a few jars without dropping and breaking them.

* * *

Lucius then went on to show Draco how to tell whether or not a plant was healthy.

"Plants whose leaves are withered and dried up can ruin a Potion," Lucius explained. "You don't ever want to use a plant that's about dead. Now, look at this plant here. It's called Dittany. It's used to heal wounds. Would you use this particular Dittany in a Potion or not?"

Draco closely examined the Dittany for several moments before saying, "No, I wouldn't."

"Good job, Draco," Lucius smiled ever so slightly. "You're absolutely right. Now, let's keep on walking. We should eventually be able to find some good Dittany. The Dittany right here just didn't stand a chance with all those huge, shady trees above it. They block both sunlight and rain. With any plant, you want to look in an area that's neither too open nor too shady. You want just the right amount of sunlight and rain, not too much, not too little."

Draco nodded his head in understanding.

* * *

The two Malfoys then continued to walk. They eventually came to a spot in the forest where the trees still provided adequate shade but also had spaces in between their leaves and branches for both sunlight and rain to get through.

Draco quickly spotted several Dittany. Their leaves were both green and healthy-looking.

Lucius picked the first Dittany in order to show Draco how to do it properly.

"Let me have those jars," Lucius then said, "so that you can pick the rest."

Draco eagerly handed his father the cockroach-filled jars before getting down on the ground next to the Dittany.

"Lower your hand slightly," Lucius said.

Draco did as his father said.

"Perfect," Lucius then spoke with a nod of approval.

* * *

After Draco had successfully picked all the Dittany, the two Malfoys then began to make their way back to their tent for lunch.

"Will you be selling all of these?" Draco asked as they walked. He knew that selling Potion ingredients was one of his father's many side-businesses.

"Most but not all," Lucius answered. "I want to keep some of these ingredients so that we can practice making some Potions. I want you to ready for Hogwarts. Plus, Severus is getting really tired of teaching idiots."

"Well, he's going to be real proud of me," Draco boasted. "I'm going to be a Potions Master just like him and just like you."

Lucius smiled ever so slightly at his son's words.

"I have no doubt of that at all, Draco," he then said.


End file.
